UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall recently expressed disinterest in a potential fight against Jon Jones at an event planned for The White House next year. Despite fans speculating about a showdown between the two fighters, Aspinall called Jones’s comeback and the proposed bout “just boring” and said it has not crossed his mind.
Aspinall earned his undisputed heavyweight title following Jon Jones’s retirement in June and is set to defend his belt against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 this October. While Jones is aiming for a comeback to the Octagon next year and is rumored to be part of a White House fight card endorsed by former President Donald Trump and UFC CEO Dana White, Aspinall showed little enthusiasm for the idea, saying he believes other fighters should get the opportunity.
Aspinall’s Perspective on Fighting at The White House and U.S. Politics
On The Ariel Helwani Show, Aspinall downplayed the excitement surrounding Jones’s proposed White House fight, emphasizing his detachment from American politics and the significance of the event location. He remarked,
“It’s just boring, it’s just so boring,”
He added,
“It has spent 0 seconds in my mind. I’m not interested, and the world shouldn’t be interested either, because what’s the point? It’s false hope.” —Tom Aspinall, UFC Heavyweight Champion
Aspinall further explained his stance by saying he isn’t heavily invested in American politics or President Trump, and he prefers the White House fight slot to go to American fighters. He stated,
“I’m not a big Trump supporter or against him, I don’t know anything about American politics,”
“Not American, don’t live there, don’t do anything there apart from paying taxes and fighting there. So all of that stuff just is irrelevant to me.” —Tom Aspinall, UFC Heavyweight Champion
Potential Matchups as Aspinall Prepares for UFC 321
Jon Jones has indicated he wants to face the reigning UFC heavyweight champion upon his return. However, Aspinall’s immediate focus is his upcoming title defense against Ciryl Gane. Should Aspinall maintain his unbeaten streak, a fight against Jones might materialize. Meanwhile, if Gane wins, a Jones vs. Gane rematch appears unlikely to interest Jones deeply.
Aspinall has not competed since UFC 304, where he defended his interim heavyweight belt against Curtis Blaydes last year. He acquired the interim title by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 after Jones withdrew from that event due to injury. With Jon Jones now retired and Aspinall recognized as the undisputed heavyweight champ, the heavyweight division is rapidly evolving.
Dana White’s Opposition to Jon Jones’s White House Fight Ambitions
UFC President Dana White has publicly expressed reservations about Jon Jones headlining the White House fight card due to Jones’s controversial issues outside the Octagon. White said he “can’t take the risk” of giving Jones such a high-profile platform so soon. Despite this, Jones remains determined to make his comeback at the event.
Jones’s last UFC appearance was his victory over former heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, which many believed was his retirement fight. Now, Jones is back in the UFC drug-testing pool with hopes of restarting his career next year.
The White House event, scheduled for nearly a year from now, still faces many uncertainties. The UFC and its leadership will continue evaluating fighters and circumstances before confirming the fight card. As the months pass, Jones will need to convince officials of his readiness and reliability if he hopes to headline the historic bout at the U.S. capital.